Six students from Mumbuni Boys Secondary School in Machakos have been arrested following a dormitory fire that destroyed part of the school. A bottle containing half a litre of petrol was found at the scene, raising suspicions of arson.
Machakos County Police Commander, Patrick Lobolia, confirmed the arrest of six students, all in Forms 3 and 4, who are suspected of being involved in the incident. The students spent Thursday night at the Machakos Police Station and were returned to the school the following day. The school’s Board of Management is expected to determine the next steps regarding their involvement.
Fire broke out at midnight on Thursday. School administrators quickly reported the fire to Machakos Police Station, prompting officers led by the OCS to respond immediately.. By the time police and firefighters arrived, teachers and students were already attempting to control the flames using water. The fire was eventually contained with the help of the fire brigade, though it had already damaged part of a dormitory that housed 220 students in Forms 2 and 3.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported despite all the students being in the dormitory at the time of the fire.
Commander Lobolia stated that a bottle containing petrol was found at the scene, suggesting it may have been used to start the fire. Six students were subsequently arrested based on this evidence. The students were returned to the school for the Board of Management to review their case.
This is the second fire incident at Mumbuni Boys Secondary School within a week. Police officers stayed on campus until Friday morning to monitor the situation. Last week, students had been sent home after rioting and causing significant damage to school property, including breaking windows.
Lobolia urged students in the county to avoid engaging in criminal activities and focus on their education. He emphasized that students should report any suspicious activities to their teachers in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In a separate incident, a dormitory fire also occurred at another school in Mwala Subcounty on Thursday. The students were in class at the time, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As investigations continue, authorities are urging students to prioritize their studies and avoid criminal behavior. Meetings with student associations and school management teams will be held to address the growing unrest in schools across the region.
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